Nom de la Guerre
by mistress amethyst une
Summary: One-shot. "Could your run that by me again?" she asked, suddenly unable to look away from the figure sitting before her desk. "I want to change my name," he repeated.


**Disclaimer:** GW = not mine.

**Author's Note:** After this, I'll be done with all the prompts! The tenth August prompt is "And when I see you it's like I'm staring down the sun. And I'm blinded. There's nothing left to do and still I see you" from "Blinded" by Third Eye Blind. The title is French for "war name."

**Nom de la Guerre  
by mistress amethyst une **

Relena wasn't quite sure how to react to Heero's decision.

"Could your run that by me again?" she asked, suddenly unable to look away from the figure sitting before her desk.

"I want to change my name," he repeated.

"T-to what?" she stuttered.

Was he hitting a quarter life crisis? Was that it? She quite liked the sound of Heero, and had been using that name to refer to him for eleven years. It would be a shame to call him something else. Still, she was willing to hear him out. Oh good lord, don't let it be something stupid. If he was going to rename himself in honor of his Gundam or-

"I want to take your last name as my own once the marriage is made official."

"What?"

Well, that wasn't what she was expecting.

"You're keeping your last name, aren't you? After all, there's already a deceased Yuy who was prominent in the political arena. If you took my name, it would be impractical and confusing. It's not even my real name. The war's behind me now but I'm still using my code name. I thought a change would be good."

"You want to be a Darlian?" she gasped, staring at him in disbelief.

"Or a Peacecraft," he shrugged. "Your call. Whatever you're using."

"But what about your real name?"

"Relena, if I knew what my real name was, don't you think I would have told you by now? I've gone through a lot of code names, none of them fitting. The only reason I'm keeping my current first name is because it's what you've taken to calling me. The first Heero Yuy must be rolling in his grave after all the atrocities I've committed using his name. I thought I might as well give him some peace, too."

She concluded that, aware of it or not, he was still trying to kill her. All the little surprises he sprung on her did nothing good for her nerves or her lifespan in general. Taking a deep breath, she decided to tackle the issue as calmly and rationally as she could.

"Well, I can't make you a Peacecraft," she said, deciding it would be best to discuss the tough stuff first. "That would bring up all sorts of issues regarding the reinstatement of the monarchy. On top of that, the title you'd be getting is quite unflattering."

"Title?"

She knew this issue would come up someday. She remembered when she'd first come upon the dusty old tome stating the rules a Peacecraft must live by. It was still mildly singed from the fire that destroyed Sank. However, by the time Relena had finished reading it, she wished it had persished in the flames for more than a few reasons. For one thing, it was a highly outdated edition from pre-colony times. It was probably by the devil's work that the damned thing survived because no way was she going to abide by its ridiculous misogynistic rules. After reading that, she had resolved to return to being a Darlian should the chance ever present itself. The book dared to dictate to her heart, and she wouldn't have that.

"You'd be known as my concubinus," she told him, still more than a little annoyed as she remembered reading that particular rule. "My male lover. Under the rules of the House of Peacecraft, I can't marry a commoner. Our relationship would be acknowledged as being of a matrimonial nature but it wouldn't be a marriage. I would have to marry someone of noble birth. My mother, Queen Katrina, didn't have a concubinus because she was satisfied with her marriage but it was a common trend for the Peacecraft women before her."

Heero's face remained calm but she noted that he'd paled quite a bit.

"Do you want to return to being a Peacecraft?" he asked in what he hoped was an unaffected tone. "Is our engagement an obstacle to-"

"Heero, I was a Peacecraft for only a few months and it brought me nothing but trouble. I have nothing against my family but I've been a Darlian all my life, and I intend to keep it that way. Besides, I'm not the issue here. I hope I haven't disappointed you. If you had your heart set on being a Peacecraft-"

It was his turn to cut her off.

"I told you. It's your call. I'll take the name you decide to use. The name itself isn't what matters. The fact that I'm going to share that name with you for the rest of my life is the whole point of this."

She wasn't quite sure how to respond to that.

"Darlian," she managed to say. "I'm using Darlian."

"Then I'll use that," he nodded.

She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry but I just have to ask again...why? Why do you want this name change so badly?"

"I'm finally entering a new stage of my life by my own will," he replied. "For once, I'm not having a random name slapped on me as someone else decides my fate and thrusts me into battle. I'm in control now, and I want to name myself."

"But why my last name?"

"Because, like no one else, you made me decide something for myself. No one asked me to protect you. I decided that. You were a choice I made, one you still haven't made me regret after eleven years. I can't see myself anywhere but with you. I'm yours, Relena. Completely. I just want everyone to know that."

He had obviously practiced this, anticipating her question. You don't come up with an answer like that at a moment's notice. He has thought long and hard about this, and that could only mean that he really had his heart set on this. She was completely stunned. From the intensity on his face, she knew he meant every word.

"I don't know what to say," she blurted, all her coherence deserting her.

"Nice one, Relena," scolded the sarcastic little voice in her head. "He makes the most poignant love confession ever, and you're sitting there with your mouth hanging open."

Upon realizing her sarcastic inner voice was right, she quickly closed her mouth. It was a useless action since her mouth only fell open again as he rose from his chair and walked over to her side of the desk. Turning her swivel chair to face him, he got down on bended knee.

"You don't need to say anything," he said, amused by the complete look of surprise on her face. "Two weeks ago, when you asked me to marry you, I was Mr. Yuy."

He pulled a silver diamond studded band from his pocket, identical to the gold one she'd asked him to slip on her finger when she'd proposed to him.

"I'm asking to be your Mr. Darlian."

Yeah, she was never going to be able to close her mouth again. For all eternity, she'd have her mouth hanging open in shock. He'd done it. He'd killed her.

"Relena?"

"W-where would I wear it?" she stuttered, annoyed that she had lost control over her syllables more than once over the course of this conversation.

"Last time I checked, you had ten fingers."

He took her left hand, pleased to see her ring finger proudly displaying the first engagement ring.

"Though I think this finger wouldn't mind wearing two rings. Of course, that depends on your answer."

"What was the question again?"

"Would you let me be your Mr. Darlian?"

"But...oh, I don't know. It's strange, Heero. My father was Mr. Darlian."

"And Quatre's mother was Mrs. Winner," he stated, his impatience showing. "You don't see him being apprehensive about Dorothy taking that title. Stop stalling, Relena."

"I'm sorry," she gulped. "I'm spouting nonsense. I told you. I don't know what to say."

"Yes or no. Preferrably yes. No's just there for posterity."

That got her to giggle. "I suppose the logical answer would be yes then."

He put the second ring on her, letting it rest comfortably atop the first.

"I'm yours twice over now."

"It's not official yet," she reminded him. "You're still Mr. Yuy."

He shrugged. "I'm still placing an order for new business cards."

* * *

One-shot done. :) Gah, proposal fic again. If you're wondering about how Relena proposed to him, see Nonsensical Nuances Ficlet 22: Unbirthday.


End file.
